Two cities, two views of medical marijuana businesses

Forest Park and Sharonville have each considered for months whether to allow businesses connected to medical marijuana in their cities.

Communities in Ohio are making decisions about whether they want medical marijuana-based businesses ...more

Communities in Ohio are making decisions about whether they want medical marijuana-based businesses to locate there.

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There were similarities. Both cities put a moratorium on allowing development or zoning for medical marijuana businesses in place while officials studied the issue. Both held public hearings where there was no real public debate about what the city should do.

But after the studies were completed, they came to very different conclusions.

Sharonville said no thanks.

Forest Park said come on in.

Chris Anderson, Forest Park's community development director, gave his City Council members an overview of the city's planning commission's recommendation that covered all the basics. Growers, processors, testing laboratories and dispensaries or distributors were discussed.

Anderson shared a map that showed where in the Forest Park commercial zones those businesses would be prohibited by state law. Locating medical marijuana facilities within 500 feet of churches, public libraries or public playgrounds, public parks or schools isn't allowed.

The map showed there was a lot of Forest Park that wouldn't be able to house a medical marijuana business due to proximity to restricted facilities.The map also identified some areas where those businesses could possibly locate depending on council's decision.

The recommendation suggested that cultivators, processors, and testing laboratories be considered as special exceptions in the city's manufacturing and industrial areas.

Anderson said there will be a limited number of growers, processing facilities and testing laboratories statewide, and the Cincinnati metro area could expect to maybe see one or two.

Medical marijuana can come in various oil-based forms, including tincture, oral spray, capsules and ...more

Medical marijuana can come in various oil-based forms, including tincture, oral spray, capsules and vapor. Some Ohio cities are taking action to restrict the sale of medical marijuana within their limits.

Seth Harrison/USA Today Network

"Forest Park may not even get one," he said. "But if we were to get one, this is legitimate economic development. They are secure facilities with high-paying jobs and absence of nuisances that we were able to determine."

City Manager Ray Hodges said the city's planning commission and staff recommended council amend the zoning code to allow medical marijuana dispensaries as a special exception, limited to the area north of I-275 in the planned business district in individual buildings on separate lots. He said possible sites would be Forest Fair Village and property at Omniplex, Parkwood Plaza or Chase Plaza.

Not all of the city's industrial parks would be able to have cultivators, processors or testing labs. Two identified by the city as possible locations are Northland Industrial Park, on the east side of the city, which is in a manufacturing district, and Crossway Industrial Park on the west side, in an industrial zone.

"These uses would be prohibited in all other districts," Hodges said.

And even if they are in a permissible district, the zoning code amendment stipulates they must undergo a review process by the planning commission regardless of their size.

Anderson said the planning commission felt the city needed to set an area for a dispensary so residents who need to fill prescriptions for medical marijuana could do so close to home.

Over 180 applications were submitted for medical marijuana cultivation licenses in Ohio.

Over 180 applications were submitted for medical marijuana cultivation licenses in Ohio.

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Forest Park City Council passed the amendment Aug. 7.

Sharonville officials say businesses connected to the growth, processing or sale of medical marijuana are not welcome in the city. The City's Council members were unanimous in their decision last month to prohibit permits for the cultivation, processing or sale of marijuana, which is allowed under Ohio law.

Council adopted a moratorium on medical marijuana-related businesses last year and members continued the moratorium in February to allow officials to study the issue. That moratorium was initially established in advance of House Bill 523 taking effect on Sept. 8.

Sharonville's mayor said he doesn't feel comfortable as a local government official allowing medical marijuana businesses until the federal government weighs in. Mayor Kevin Hardman said there are entities that have indicated they would like to come into the city.

Other communities are still taking a wait-and-see stance. Colerain Township extended its moratorium on medical marijuana-connected business users, saying there's plenty of time to continue studying the possible ramifications.

HB 523 was signed in June 2016, but details about how medical marijuana would be licensed, cultivated and dispensed are still being worked out. The bill established a Medical Marijuana Control Commission to administer the Medical Marijuana Control Program.

While marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, medical marijuana has been classified as a Schedule 2. This means it has no currently accepted medical use or safety process and has a high risk of abuse.